Thursday, September 24, 2009

Set All Phasers To Stun - or - Did Someone Forget The Chargers? -- UPDATED 4:15pm EST

Every year I have to hear about how great the Chargers are and how they'll be vying for the Super Bowl, yadda yadda.  It seems to me that playing in the worst division in the league has helped to give a boost to the Chargers reputation, because they're one of those teams that have a hit and miss offense (though they hit more than miss) and a 'miss-the-hit' defense, which misses more than it hits.  We seem to play these guys every year for some reason, but we also tend to beat them, so I'm not complaining.  Still, they do have a solid collection of star players and a head coach who's been around the block.  And we're playing in their house, and the Dolphins don't like to go that far West.

So let's take a look at how the Dolphins can come out of San Diego with a win. First, the current injury status:

San Diego:  Shawne Merriman (groin), LaDanian Tomlinson (ankle), Luis Vasquez (knee), Antwan Applewhite (Hamstring), Travis Johnson (groin), Mike Scifres (groin), Eric Weddle (illness), Marcus McNeill (illness), Kris Dielman (illness), Nick Hardwick (ankle/IR).
Miami:  Vernon Carey (knee), Greg Camarillo (back/ribs), Brian Hartline (foot/ankle), Joey Porter (hamstring).
 

GAME PLAN - OFFENSE
To keep it short and sweet, we should do almost exactly what we did on Monday Night.  The Chargers will not be able to stop our running game.   The Chargers run a 3-4, and they are not good at stopping the run, giving up 278 yards in two games.  They do have one of the best secondaries in the league and protect the intermediate routes well.  The most successful passing approach would be screens and the occasional deep throws.  But running the ball should be just as easy if not more so against the Chargers than it was against the Colts.  In fact, I would activate Ronnie Brown in your fantasy league if you've got him.  The most important thing we can do this weekend is to continue to run the ball, keep the opposing offense off the field, and to push it in for touchdowns.  If they kick a FG on 4th and short this week, I may have a stroke.

GAME PLAN - DEFENSE
Now this is where it gets tricky.  Like I said above, and like the Dolphins did on Monday night, the best defense against the Chargers is to keep their offense off the field to begin with.  They are not a quick strike 'O' like the Colts, but they have just enough weapons and a very good QB that can work enough magic to keep OUR offense off the field, which would be a disaster.  

When they ARE on the field, our secondary will be tested.  The Chargers are 31st in the league in rushing yards with 65.  SIXTY-FIVE in two games!!  I don't even want to know who's 32nd.  It looks like once again LT is injured and won't play, so Darren Sproles will be the offensive focus here, and let's be honest, he's probably more dangerous than LT is at this point anyway.  He's not effective as runner, but knowing our team's penchant for missing tackles, he could prove slippery.  Still, he will be used again and again on screen plays, so once again this brings up the question of 'to blitz or not to blitz?'  The Chargers make their money on the screen, so blitzing could backfire  a ton.  The key here, I believe is to consider Sproles a WR, and play a nickel package with an extra safety or corner covering him at all times.  You could use this extra DB on a blitz after the Chargers get comfortable with him being there to cover Sproles.

As for the more traditional receivers, Vincent Jackson is a beast, and a player I wanted desperately to trade for last year, but it's possible the Dolphins think Patrick Turner is the next Vincent Jackson.  Hopefully they've been using him this way in practices, so we'll see how they plan on covering him.  Chris Chambers does not get a lot of looks but he is always a big play threat.  Antonio Gates, obviously, is the biggest worry for us, as we haven't done well covering tight-ends so far this season, although I reiterate that Dallas Clark is not a tight-end, in my book.  So we can't assume that because covering him with a LB was a disaster that we couldn't do the same versus Gates.  His size would be a big mismatch on a safety.  Again, putting in a nickel package for most of the game would help to crowd those short routes and force Philip Rivers to look elsewhere.  And not to sound like a homer, but this strategy would be a perfect time to utilize the skill-set of Jason Allen.  Size, speed, and nose for the ball will be needed, especially if we are to start getting turnovers, something we haven't done yet.

My final point goes back to the blitz packages and QB pressure in general.  Obviously, we didn't get enough in our first two games.  Jason Taylor does not look quick at all like he did in the pre-season.  Porter is trying to speed rush too much and getting beat but I have to give him kudos for looking good against the run.  I don't remember even seeing any reserve rushers last week.  The issue all comes down to these guys beating their blockers.  They're getting stopped at the line of scrimmage, fair and simple.  It might be time to give someone else some reps.  A bullrusher like Cam Wake would be a change-up from the more finesse rushes of Taylor and Porter.  Lining up Porter wide of the line got him his first sack last week...but then they never tried it again!  Sometimes this team's inability to stay with what works can be very frustrating.  This game would also be a great time to throw in a couple of CB blitzes, especially from that nickel position.  Lastly, the Dolphins will have some help this week, as the Chargers lost Center Nick Hardwick for 8 to 10 weeks and have a couple of banged up starters.  They only carry 7 OL on the roster, and now with Hardwick gone and 3 of the 4 other starters nursing injury or illness, they will not be at full strength when we face them.

PREDICTION:      MIA  27   SD  23 

FWIW, the folks at Profootballtalk.com do weekly picks and this is what they had to say about the Dolphins/Chargers game.

137 comments:

  1. unlike yesterday's post, wonderful job here tin

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  2. yw, did you see my response to your post yesterday. 



    and you know i was kidding about yesterday post, although i disagreed after two games of projecting stats, i think it was a good read.  much better then crap the SS puts out now.  why dont you just contact the SS and let him make you their blog writer.

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  3. The Knight who says Ni!September 24, 2009 at 10:44 AM

    Well done, Tin. The Chargers also lost their NT Jamal Williams for the season.

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  4. Besides the obvious fact that I live in Sacramento? I'm not driving to
    Davie, FL for 20 minute media sessions...

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  5. True, and the backup is about 40 lbs lighter.

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  6. your articles are more informative then anything the ss has put out in months, so based on that, i hope you dont ruin it by going to media sessions.  lol

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  7. Thanks, FFR, like I said a while back, I've almost completely stopped
    reading the SS altogether. I still get info from their Twitter account but
    hardly ever click on the links.
    Oh, BTW, forgot to tell you yesterday that it looks like I WILL be able to
    watch the USF vs FSU game after all because it's on ESPNU, which sometimes I
    get and sometimes I don't, but checked yesterday and I am getting it for now
    (fingers crossed). What do you think would be the tougher game, @ FSU, @
    Pittsburgh, or hosting Miami?

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  8. The Knight who says Ni!September 24, 2009 at 10:58 AM

    I find that a lot of the stuff the SS writes about is old news that we're already aware of. They frame it all nice with a headline and a picture like it's this new story and it rarely ever is. Very lame.

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  9. How come Omar is not wrting as much for SS.Knight, your right the way Mike writes, lipsticks on a pig.

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  10. tin,  i dont think it matters after losing matt.  but i am not so sold on miami, college football rating is a joke.  they shoot to #9 when they only beat fsu by one play and beat a ga tech team at home.  dont get me wrong i pull for all the fl colleges, happy for them, but i think usf can give them a game if the new qb is worth the praise he has been getting locally

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  11. Losing Matt is a big deal as far as whether or Not Daniels can handle the
    pressure of the big games, but as far as physical ability goes, there's next
    to no drop-off....in fact Daniels is bigger and stronger. I think Grothe is
    a better deep passer, but too early to tell.

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  12. Tins,

    Yes the SS has become extremely lame & I prefer this site.  I agree with a lot of your points about how we should approach the Chargers.  With that said, I'm not exactly sure of why you are so high on Cameron Wake but I'd like to see a young pass rusher emerge.  I don't recall seeing Anderson, Moses, or Walden on the field at all on defense.   IMO--I think Moses should be used to spell Taylor since he looked outstanding at times in the pre-season.  Can he do it for real???  I think he can.

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  13. WHP,
    I pick Wake because I think he's much better than Walden and Anderson, and
    Moses has been invisible. I heard Jason Taylor thought Sparano was being
    'nitpicky' about tackling fundamentals. Personally, if I'm the coach and I
    hear Taylor say that, I'm not starting him for the next game. That
    comment/mentality added to the invisible performance on monday night means
    Wake should get a shot. Part of my calling up wake has to do with us not
    having a lot of tape on him. I know what Anderson and Moses can do. Also I
    think Wake is better vs the run than those two.

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  14. The Knight who says Ni!September 24, 2009 at 1:54 PM

    Oh great, even PFW has this as a close game so we have to wait until the final minutes or seconds to find out if we are 0-3 or not. F that, I'm predicting 24-10 Dolphins. Now I feel better.

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  15. LOL, I don't think it works that way...
    Knight, be happy that you actually get the game on TV, as opposed to us
    NorCal residents.

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  16. Even we UK-residents (with Sky) get the game on Sun - I have Titans @ Jets follwed by Fins @ Chargers, then Ravens @ Pats followed by Cowboys @ Broncos the next Sunday, so I get to see all the AFC East teams with a shot at the Division ;)

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  17. Don't the Bills technically have more of a shot than we do right now?

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  18. I'm drinking from Herd's glass half-full until we lose at the Chargers!

    Actually, I'm not the sort who jumps on bandwagons, makes predictions way too early or claims to have crystal balls ( ;) ) but before the season started, I imagined the Fins and Pats might be duking it out at the end of the season again based on their rosters, coaching etc. So far, it looks like fat-guts Ryan seems to be having a bit of a Sparano effect on Gang-green. As of now, I'd say the Bills have the most potential to be cellar-dwellers this season as they seem to have the most pieces missing, but it's way too early to start making predictions. Key injuries can sink ships pretty quickly.

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  19. The Knight who says Ni!September 24, 2009 at 3:26 PM

    It's a nationally televised game?

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  20. I was just about to interject in your comment but then you mentioned the
    injury issue. If the Dolphins can avoid major injuries then they have a
    chance at making noise in the division. The Pats are falling apart
    physically, the Bills have issues too, and the Jets are banged up a little
    too. Our worst injury is Matt Roth who's not even on the 53 and out of pure
    luck we have a bye in week 6. So it's possible that when everyone is
    getting weaker, we'll be getting healthier.
    On a 'soccer' note, my fave brit website has not released a torrent of the
    Wolverhampton game - they had the day's highlights, but apparently the game
    went long, as in OT, I assume. Don't clue me in yet tho, I'll check again
    later tonight.
    One thing they DID have on the site is this, which I thought quite
    interesting format-wise....were you a viewer of this show?
    http://thebox.bz/details.php?id=92638

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  21. No, it's showing in the southwest and the northeast.

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  22. Oh, and Florida/Georgia

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  23. Because he is too busy tweeting about Oprah:  <img src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/DAVID~1.CHA/LOCALS~1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.png"/>

    <img src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/DAVID~1.CHA/LOCALS~1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png"/>
    <span>OmarKelly<span>This was a really good interview. Jay-Z with Oprah, what a mix! http://bit.ly/XoZwg</span></span>

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  24. <span>Because he is too busy tweeting about Oprah: </span>
    <span>
    <span>OmarKelly<span>This was a really good interview. Jay-Z with Oprah, what a mix! http://bit.ly/XoZwg</span></span></span>
    <div class="jsk-ItemFooter">
    <div>
    <div class="js-singleCommentDate jsk-ItemAge jsk-SecondaryFontColor">Today, 3:42:08 PM</div>
    <div class="js-singleCommentCtls"><span style="display: none;"><span> – </span>Flag</span><span><span> </span></span></div>
    </div>
    </div>

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  25. Tins,

    Then who are all these Chargers fans around you???  Why aren't they 49ers or Raiders fans???

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  26. The Knight who says Ni!September 24, 2009 at 3:44 PM

    How do you find out what games will be shown in what areas?

    I read that Porter is slowed by a hamstring injury.

    http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/sfl-dolphins-joey-porter-hurt-s092409,0,6997552.story

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  27. The Knight who says Ni!September 24, 2009 at 3:45 PM

    Okay, I see you update the injury list with Porter.  :-P

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  28. I just think we dodged the turnover and injury bullet this year and so far, lightning isn't striking twice, although injuries and turnovers could be a lot worse. We just have to cross our fingers, light incense and find the East to turn our prayer mats towards.

    Good luck with the Wolves game. That link didn't work. I'm turning in now anyway, but I'll check back in the morning if it's fixable?

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  29. The Knight who says Ni!September 24, 2009 at 3:50 PM

    Okay I checked the guide on my TV and they have the Dolphins/Chargers listed. Yaaaahoooo!!!! LOL

    The guide doesn't always show the game that will be on, sometimes it just says NFL to be announced.

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  30. They've all been invisible.  Not just Moses.  I didn't see JT make a single play against the Colts & in Atlanta Porter was M.I.A.  BTW--I'm not exactly sure how you know what Moses can do.  I think he's better than you are giving him credit for.  IMO--Outside of the starters in pre-season he looked like the next best OLB.  It's not a conspiracy that they're not activated Wake just like it's not a conspiracy that Jason Allen isn't any better than being a high special teams performer.  As for how Wake can play the run, well how would anyone know if that's true.  Wake has never played a snap in the NFL!

    I don't like that Taylor made a negative comment towards Sparano but he's the best player we have right now at that position.  Porter has a pulled hamstring so this is not the week to start experimenting with a player from the CFL.  If you want to bench someone on defense I'm casting my vote for Wilson.  Although it's questionable how well the back-up FS can cover (whether it's Culver or Clemons--LOL!) I know that they both can tackle. 

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  31. I meant since you live in Sacramento.

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  32. This is going to be a REALLY hard game to watch but either way I'll take my medicine like a man.  Anyone who has survived the Wannstadt years & the Cameron experience has to be ALL IN by now.

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  33. Pennington is 26th in the NFL in terms of yards & has thrown 1 TD.   Since Jason Campbell will likely be run out of Washington after this season if Henne's not the guy....Just a thought.  

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  34. The Knight who says Ni!September 24, 2009 at 5:19 PM

    WHP, the Titans are also 0-2 and they played two different games like us. Good defense one week, good offense the next. It's too early to start going crazy about the roster. We knew this team had areas that needed some time to develop and that's what we're seeing. We have a lot of new personnel and young players including rookies.

    OL - they haven't played a lot together.

    QB - Pat White is being fed baby steps. I think they just want him to experience the speed of the game now so he's not overwhelmed if he has to play. Unlike how John Beck was handled.

    WR - they're all young with Camarillo as the aged veteran in his 4 season but less actual playing experience which is more like 1.5 years.

    TE - Fasano struggling and Haynos and Nalbone non-existent in the passing game.

    DL - a bunch of young guys finding their way.

    LB - not so much here but JT playing a new position.

    CB - two rookies playing significant time.

    S - not playing well and Wilson is new to this defense.

    So there is a lot that needs to be worked out. Hopefully we don't lose the season early as we figure it out. I do think we'll figure it out. But if we're 0-3 or 1-4 and then get things rolling it might be too late. We'd have to basically run the table and there would be little room for error. Then again based on last year, maybe we play better like that. But we have a lot of new players so it's not the same team and it's not the same season. That's the past. We'll see what happens.

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  35. Have you seen the QB of Arkansas play yet ?  I think his name is Mallet, big strong Kid.  Pocket passer, nice arm, looks accurate from what I've seen, and seems to play relaxed with the rush on.  To me he looks like the proto type NFL QB.  We'll see...

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  36. what do u mean? did I say something about Chargers fans?

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  37. no haven't seen any arkansas games this year, but watched Missouri game and their new QB is 6'5" 240lbs and looks like a tight end...complete opposite of Chase Daniel

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  38. what do u mean?  did I say something about Chargers fans?

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  39. Thanks Tinshaker and Hope your prediction is on the money

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  40. Another great read! Thanks for the insight Tin!!! I have to say I snorted out my DP through my nose on this quote: <span style="">If they kick a FG on 4th and short this week, I may have a stroke.</span>
    Pahaha I totally agree!

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  41. "I have to say I snorted out my DP through my nose on this quote"
    Whoa, I've never seen DP in the nose before....wait...maybe your DP is
    different than what I'm thinking...

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  42. Wow Knight you surprised me with this review, and you seem to be on point with your assesment.  I think the team has underperformed up to this point.  They are better than what we are seeing.  Sure there are weaknesses as you pointed out.  The big ones for me are our safeties, and receiving core.  They're just not very good at this time.

    One thing that bothers me, are the sre the slow starts.  It seems to me for the second year in row the coaching staff still doesn't know what they have to start out the year.  Now i'm not bashing the staff these guys are good especailly TS, but I feel the reason we have seen the collapse of first the offense and then the defense have been the failure of the fundementals of the game.  Blocking and tackling in successive weeks are the reason the phins have lost those 2 games, along with the turnover ratio which goes back to fundementals.  The starnge part of this is it's the veterans that are not playing well.

    I'm hoping they can get this turned around and make a good run at the division, but to be honest I would rather see us move into the future mode and let the young dogs hunt.  If we are going to lose then lets do it with them in the game.  I know it's early in the season but if we go 0 - 4 it's going to be over for this year.  Here is the funny part, Miami is not going to lose these next 2 games, and the team will be back in the hunt beginning this week.

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  43. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 7:51 AM

    Fang, I think the slow starts are due to the continuing changing of personnel. When you think about it this team has not played a lot of games together. That's the point I was making, they will build chemistry during the season but will it be too late to save the season if they don't win 2 of the next 3 games.

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  44. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 7:52 AM

    Dr. Pepper? LOL

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  45. KNight, this is the site I use to track what games are being shown where.  It is updated very frequently through the week as blackouts are listed, etc. 

    http://www.the506.com/nflmaps/index.html

    In Sacramento I have the pleasure of being in not one, but two NFL markets I don't want to be in - San Fran and Oakland.  That means it's very unlikely a Chargers game will ever be shown here.  That's why I missed the Chargers game last year and the stream I was using was terrible.  I will have to watch on Tin's Fins on Sunday.

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  46. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 8:02 AM

    Tin, thanks for the link. No sports bar near you?

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  47. You honestly think I could get someone in this town to put on the Dolphins
    game?

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  48. Plus, I can't take my 3 yr old to the sports bar for 4 hours, and the Tin's
    Fins chatters would be very disappointed in me, lol.

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  49. I am hoping we don't see Pat White this Sunday.  Tinshaker, could you please include that on your next email to Coach Sparano?

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  50. <span style=""><span style=""><span style="">"Every year I have to hear about how great the Chargers are and how they'll be vying for the Super Bowl, yadda yadda. "</span></span></span>
    <span style=""><span style=""></span></span>
    <span style=""><span style=""><span style="">Tins,</span></span></span>
    <span style=""><span style=""></span></span>
    <span style=""><span style=""><span style="">I haven't heard that this season.</span></span></span>

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  51. I should have e-mailed him that before the season started...

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  52. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 8:31 AM

    I don't know. When I don't go to my friend's house or cousin's house who both have the NFL ticket, I go to a sports bar where they put on all the games. There are fans of a lot of different teams there.

    I understand the 3 year old son deal though. LOL

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  53. WHP, then you're not watching the same NFL Network I am or listening to the
    same radio, at least before the season started. More than one NFLN panelist
    chose San Diego as Super Bowl contenders. Plus, when you live in CA, and
    that sort of question arises, the Chargers will always be picked over the
    49ers and the Raiders.
    You don't actually think the Raider Nation, as retarded as they are,
    actually believe they are even play-off contenders? I workand live around
    these people and all they care about is having a good time - completely
    detached from the whole point of the league. 49er fans are just hoping for
    some kind of vacuum to open up and swallow the entire team/management so
    they can start over from scratch.

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  54. Maybe thay could leave him behind, just to be sure.

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  55. Knight,

    At some point we're going to need to face the facts.  We're going to need an ugrade at QB, TE, & WR before we have a chance to truly contend for a Super Bowl.  Pennington was/is a temporary solution.  We're probably not going to re-up on him so then what???

    As for our defense you can't have a FS that misses critical tackles on multiple big plays.  What makes this even worse is that the Colts barely ran the ball & with Manning at QB, a FS's job is to stay deep & limit the damage.  Is it correctable???  I have no idea.  It wasn't for Renaldo Hill.  

    BTW--What about our lack of a pass rush from our veteran OLB's???

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  56. What's with the spilled milk reference???  Is that how you feel about the game against Indy or is it an homage to your kids???   LOL!!!

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  57. In this town there are only Raider fans. I do see a lot of Dolphin jerseys
    walking around town, but I've had issues trying to get my games on the bar
    TVs (also we don't have any of your fancy NY bars with 12 TVs in them).
    Speaking of that, isn't their a big Dolphins sportsbar in Jersey? Saw a
    video piece on it once.
    Oh, this just in, the Raiders game has been blacked out.....that means the
    Dolphins game will be aired!!!!

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  58. I assumed it had something to do with mammary glands. You DO know herdfan
    is obsessed with breasts, right? ;)

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  59. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 8:56 AM

    I said it in my rant on this blog about Pat White. I think they're trying to give him a few plays here and there to get him used to the speed of the game against different opponents and looks, so if he does have to play it's not overwhelming. 

    This way if he had to come into a game cold let's say in game 7, it's not his first time he's been out there and maybe we can avoid the deer in the headlights scenario.

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  60. Wrong - they're trying to get him on film to trade him - backfired!
    Your theory would be feasible if in fact it was Henne who was being plugged
    in, because he's the backup to Pennington.
    Here's the updated map for week 3
    http://www.the506.com/nflmaps/2009/03-CBS-L.html

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  61. Knight,

    I don't buy it.  Every season every team needs to account for personnel changes & Wilson was supposed to be an upgrade.  Bottom line if we were able to make the tackles we HAVE to make on defense, we're not talking about going 0-3.  Channing Crowder was out of position on a few plays that I saw & those are mistakes that cost you ballgames when you play the Colts. 

    Starting from after we opted to kick a FG & then gave the Colts back the ball with that last drive to finish out the first half & throughout the 2nd half our defense was pathetic. 

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  62. I do NOW....LOL!

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  63. And Gibril Wilson........That f#cking zero!

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  64. Agreed.  Why the f#ck are we grooming a 3rd string QB who doesn't have an NFL arm???  I give Parcells & Ireland credit for rolling the dice but if we would've sat back & then made a run at Michael Vick we'd not only have the perfect Wildcat QB but a legitimate future starter.

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  65. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 9:09 AM

    Sorry to hear that about sports bars in your areas. One place I go to has only 8 TVs but they are all HD. Nice place, great food, good time. The Dolphins sports bar in NJ is probably Miami Mike's in East Hanover which isn't real close to me. It's not that I couldn't go once to check it out but it would never be a regular deal.

    Cool on the Raiders game being blacked out.  :-D

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  66. Man, it drives me nuts when the Dolphins lose.  I just want to beat the Chargers......

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  67. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 9:11 AM

    Now that's a conspiracy theory. LOL

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  68. The colts game.  I had a glass half full up thru that game, and I changed it after.  I was just thinking I needed to change it, so of course you have to notice it call me on it.  My avatars page is getting quite crowded, some I haven't used yet.  I've said it before, they are like shoes, and I use them to fit my mood.  Is this one better?

    My children spill things?  hahahahaha

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  69. WHP, at the time of the draft, no one thought Vick would be back so soon.
    That said, I completely lost it when they drafted White. I was
    happy/optimistic about the 1st pick, but the 2nd one threw me for a loop,
    primarily because we chose him over some really good
    linebackers/safeties/o-linesmen. Of course, they chose him over my
    man-crush as well. Actually, over two man-crushes. but my man-crushes
    aside, the fact they drafted Pat White over Max Unger and William Beatty
    alone should have sent up warning flags that someone was smoking the icky
    sticky in the war room.

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  70. Yeah, Miami Mike's, that's it.

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  71. WHP, we ALWAYS beat the Chargers! relax!! lol
    Okay, maybe not always, but everytime I've attended a game? Maybe I
    should've got tickets and trekked down this weekend?

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  72. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 9:30 AM

    WHP, every team has some changes but we have turned our roster over by 75% since last year. There are currently 12 new players on the team this year and a lot of young players. A lot of areas on our team are still jelling. It's not an excuse, it's just the way I see it.

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  73. It's a big f#cking trip from Sacramento.  I used to live in SF & I remember how long it took to drive to LA & if you're flying well, let's just say from someone who used to travel a lot for business, I'm 6'0" tall & the leg room seems to get smaller every year. 

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  74. Ha!  LOL!!!  Yeah I'd say that that even the most ardent Raiders fan knows they suck.

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  75. Well as a NYer that was formerly engaged to a shopaholic I'd say I only wished she opted for the avatar.  LOL!  It's only when you experience a recession do you realize how much money you've wasted. 

    I think if you show your kids your new avatar they'll most likely be on their best behavior & try not to upset you.  LOL!!!  Just a guess... 

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  76. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 9:41 AM

    Right now that guy is Henne and then using Pat White to take advantage of his skills. If we don't re-sign Pennington, those two will be our QBs and our #3 will probably be a young veteran who's no more than a backup QB and he will be inactive.

    The trifecta has invested a lot of time in Henne. They will give him a chance to prove himself. What I mean by that is he might be given two seasons before we look elsewhere if he's not the answer.

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  77. It's good to know that even 6'0" tall guys have issues too. I'm 6' 4" and I
    would rather drive for ten hours than fly for three.

    ReplyDelete
  78. Tin, there was a dust-up 3 years ago when JT made public "not too flattering" comments about Merriman's suspension for steroids. Since they won't be playing against each other, how likely is this to be an issue?

    ReplyDelete
  79. Not wishing to be a prophet of doom but ...... the Chargers are 20-5 at home since 2006 and no team that went 0-3 ever won a play-off game. Using a very convoluted logic, that means there's a 5-1 chance that HSB keeps his name in week 4? I think there are lots of alternative handles the mob would like to choose in a renaming exercise?!?

    PS I don't believe we have a 5-1 chance of winning - just messing.

    ReplyDelete
  80. Exactly.  I heard you say that once before.  6'4"???  Wo Nelly!!!  Unless you get that seat by the emergency door or the first row your knees are going to be in serious trouble.  And if you want first class???  Oh well then la-dee-da for you Mr. 61 inch plasma screen!!!  LOL!!!

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  81. Knight,

    Didn't you just go on vacation?  Where did you go?  I sure can use one....

    ReplyDelete
  82. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 9:54 AM

    Uh oh, herd has her whip out. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  83. I'm not obsessed with them, but I'm extremely glad that guys are.   It's an unusual business to be in, but to me, that's what it is, a business.  The product is just a little different!

    ReplyDelete
  84. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 9:55 AM

    WHP, I was in LBI a few times during the summer.

    ReplyDelete
  85. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 9:57 AM

    I'm only 5-9 7/8 so I can move like a ninja in just about any public place. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  86. UK,

    You DID say "a very convoluted logic" right???  LOL!!!  The Chargers are also banged up.  If we can play anywhere close to how we played offensively in SD then we have an excellent chance of winning.  As good as Rivers is, he's not Peyton Manning & as good as his numbers are this year he still makes mistakes & turns the ball over.  If you play the law of averages, this is the week we get our first INT of the season. 

    I know it's hard to win on the road & SD is a very good home team, I think we're due.  We establish a heavy dose of R&R & make Rivers a frustrated spectator who has to force things.  Like I said he's not as surgical & precise as Peyton Manning.  BTW--Kick the ball away from Sproles on ST's!!!  He looks like a damn video game!!!

    ReplyDelete
  87. Even here where I live in the middle of nowhere there are sports bars with all the games on.  Surely at the very least there is a Hooters near you.   I hear they have excellent wings..........lol

    ReplyDelete
  88. Nice.  I've never been there but I've heard good things.  I was thinking more remote like Tahiti.  Not going to happen just dreaming...

    ReplyDelete
  89. Knight,

    At 6'4" you do have some limitations...I would imagine Tins hits his head a lot. 

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  90. It sounds like Merriman WILL be playing on Sunday, but I doubt either one of
    these guys even remembers back that far. or at least, I should say I bet
    Merriman doesn't remember.

    ReplyDelete
  91. Um, it's not a plasma, what kind of shmuck do you take me for? It's an LED.

    ReplyDelete
  92. WHP - if I were a betting man (which I'm not), I'd put the Fins chances at 6-4. I don't really think it matters who we are facing this week, I just expect all the wrinkles to be ironed out and we will just want it (and need it) more. Desperation can be a powerful motivator and I think Sparano will have this team at the top of it's game and more than ready to do battle. I have high hopes - just hope they don't let me down or we start giving the ball away.

    Btw, I agree on Sproles. I hoped we might have one of those in the kid (Jenkins was it?) who tried to catch punts in the grill of his face mask, but sadly not.

    ReplyDelete
  93. Canam,

    Merriman is coming off major knee surgery & he does not look even remotely close to being a 100%.  In addition he hasn't been practicing b/c of a groin injury.  His game is predicated on his incredible combination of speed & power in order to create pressure & it just wasn't there in Week One.  He looked very slow.

    ReplyDelete
  94. My old lady wants to get a pair. I can't say I'm against the idea, lol.
    But she doesn't really need them. She just wants them to be PERFECT.

    ReplyDelete
  95. You vacationed at the Lebanese Airport?

    ReplyDelete
  96. Nice, I can put my beer on your head.....I can't believe you joined in on
    the short Omar joke!

    ReplyDelete
  97. LOL @ Tins!!!  F#ck Tahiti...Now that sounds like a nice place to vacation at!!! 

    ReplyDelete
  98. Another thing to factor in is the game will be played in very high
    temperatures, something that tends to work against other opponents, but for
    Miami will be like being at home. I predict 103 degrees.

    ReplyDelete
  99. I just blanked on his name.

    ReplyDelete
  100. I don't know if this is a nation-wide thing, but the Hooters near me (5 mins
    away) has not one, but two bouncers, and everyone is dressed in suits or at
    least formal-casual, and the windows are all mirrored. Back in the day when
    I wasn't embarassed to go into a Hooters, it was all shorts and sandals and
    chicken wing artifacts in warm beer.

    ReplyDelete
  101. Plus, if I wouldn't take my 3 yr old to the local pub, I'm not taking him to
    hooters!

    ReplyDelete
  102. "(Jenkins was it?) "
    Chris Williams

    ReplyDelete
  103. Tins,

    Ha!!!  Merriman DEFINITELY has other things on his mind like I can't believe that 4'11" no talent, bitch tried to screw up my life just b/c I choked her & wouldn't let her leave my house???  Doesn't she know I keep a lawyer on retainer since I never know when my roid rage is going to act up....LOL!!!

    ReplyDelete
  104. Yes.  As an homage to Denny Green, "Chris Williams is who I thought he is!!!"

    ReplyDelete
  105. well in honor of Herd and her obsession with tatas..... ;)   ;)   ;)
    just got this in a Dolphin email...seriously just after I read the blog. How fitting. LMAO!!

    I have a question, has Davis been playing at all? I have not really noticed in my mire over losing. However, in preseason he made some great hits on the spot on some screen passes. Can we maybe utilize him this weekend, since you said the Chargers are screen happy? Just a thought. I just want to win. It messes up my whole damn week when we lose.

    ReplyDelete
  106. hmmmm do I EVEN want to know what DP you are thinking of?? prolly not. lol
    Knight is right, Dr. Pepper, my caffeine of choice in the morning.

    ReplyDelete
  107. just read the whole blog and I have to say "THANKS for the laughs guys!!!" Great insights, I am learning a ton AND I am lmfao!!! You all rock!!!

    ReplyDelete
  108. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 11:01 AM

    Yes Tin, the Lebanese Airport is beautiful in the summer and you can hear gun shots and explosions throughout the day. Lots of fun. LOL

    No Long Beach Island is a place at jersey shore.

    ReplyDelete
  109. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 11:02 AM

    They already got past that at the pro bowl.

    ReplyDelete
  110. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 11:04 AM

    That's where my 5-9 7/8 comes from, the Omar height jokes. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  111. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 11:12 AM

    Add Justin Smiley to the injury report. His shoulder must be acting up. He's been limited in practice and he's working with the 2nd team. It looks like Murphy could get his first start and game action if Smiley can't go.

    ReplyDelete
  112. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 11:14 AM

    Sparano said Davis only played about 12 plays against the Colts mainly because they liked the way Smith was handling Wayne and the defense wasn't on the field all that often. Davis played 30 plays against Atlanta not including special teams.

    ReplyDelete
  113. Davis has been the backup corner, splitting reps with both Smith and W.
    Allen. He has played and has looked OK to me.
    But you have a great point about the screens, maybe they should put in Davis
    as the 3rd DB since he tracks to the screen so well.

    ReplyDelete
  114. What is this I hear about Charlie Anderson being moved to ILB?  Damn, we need to try SOMETHING! Crowder and Akin just are not cutting it!

    ReplyDelete
  115. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 11:34 AM

    I think Davis is going to become a very good player. I have no problem with them giving him more playing time. It will only help speed up the developmental process.

    ReplyDelete
  116. I'm going to take advantage of Slush's avatar and find a way to use it here.  All you guys should do your wives/girlfriends AND yourselves a favor and do a thorough breast exam.   October is Breast Cancer awareness month and what we do here is not all fun and games and you don't want anyone you care about coming to a workplace like mine for anything other than aesthetic reasons.  

    And, it can be very fun!

    ReplyDelete
  117. October? I do one (sometimes two) every day of the year!
    That reminds me, herdfan, what's the biggest change in size you've ever seen
    at work?

    ReplyDelete
  118. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 12:04 PM

    LOL @ Tin.

    herd, do you have any before and after pics to go with Tin's question.

    I happen to know a few women who went with reductions because they were painfully large.

    ReplyDelete
  119. When I was a young lad I had an encounter with one of those women...she was
    about 18 and had had the surgery. What a waste...so young and cut down in
    her prime....

    ReplyDelete
  120. Well the Knight is on the right track.  A total loss of about 17 lbs. They measure in grams, so I'm doing an approximation. 

    ReplyDelete
  121. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 12:39 PM

    Was she like triple Gs because that what I'm talking about. LOL

    herd, still waiting on those pics. ; )

    ReplyDelete
  122. Ok let me rephrase, I meant what's the biggest ADDITION you've seen.

    ReplyDelete
  123. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 12:54 PM

    What Tin is asking is has any girl come in with cherries and left with melons. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  124. Knight, thanks for clarifying with fruit. :)

    ReplyDelete
  125. The Knight who says Ni!September 25, 2009 at 1:11 PM

    No problem. Maybe herd is busy looking for those pics I requested. ; )

    ReplyDelete
  126. Hey Tin and Mob, I don't know if you guys have read this but it was a pretty good read from a Patriots writer who speculates on the Patriots down fall.  Very shocking from the Kool aid drinking Pat's fan / writer.  Good read for other AFC East teams fans! LOL


    http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/columns/story?page=simmons/patriots/090925

    ReplyDelete
  127. herd...I sent you a pm did you get it? I don't know how to work this dang blog thing.

    ReplyDelete
  128. Oh, I just saw it, wasn't aware of this feature!  Fun!

    ReplyDelete
  129. We are going to win this game.

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  130. That's called the beach for us down here. 

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  131. Wow Rockfin, that was a good read!

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  132. Tin great read as always.However you failed to mention that if ERNEST WILFORD were still a dolphin he
    would have made all 3 of those td grabs(one handed i might add) that Fasano aka "hands o Granite"
    and ted"vagasil"ginn dropped.Of course wilford would have to get open first.......

    ReplyDelete
  133. LOL, dcarver, that comment made my day!
    Speaking of Wilford, I had my first oreo cookie in at least 10 years
    yesterday, and I gotta say, I don't see why it would be ANYONE's favorite
    food...

    ReplyDelete